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Permanent DHEC director voted in after eight months

The health agency’s previous director retired in June, forcing a search for a new director in the middle of a global health crisis.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — After eight months of searching, DHEC has a permanent director to help lead South Carolina through the pandemic.

The Senate confirmed the doctor Thursday after the Medical Affairs Committee unanimously voted in favor of him.  

"The Medical Affairs Committee recommends a favorable consideration of the nomination of Doctor Edward D. Simmer to the post of Director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control," said Senator Danny Verdin on the Senate floor Thursday.

RELATED: SC Senate confirms Dr. Edward Simmer as new DHEC Director

After Verdin's recommendation, the Senate voted to make Dr. Edward Simmer officially, the director of DHEC. 

The health agency’s previous director retired in June, forcing a search for a new director in the middle of a global health crisis.

Almost 100 applications and countless meetings led DHEC’s board to recommended Simmer in December and now the Senate has made it official. 

Verdin, who is chair of the Medical Affairs Committee, said it’s been 41 years since DHEC has had a director that’s also a doctor.

Simmer previously served as a Captain in the U.S. Navy, was the Chief Medical Officer of TRICARE Health Plan, which has over nine million members  and  he was also CEO of the Naval Hospital in Oak Harbor, Washington.

"I’ve been very involved with the military’s response to the coronavirus crisis both in terms of increasing access to tele-health and making that more available to our beneficiaries and also not long before I left, focusing very much on the vaccine distribution to make sure military members could access the vaccine," said Simmer to the committee on Tuesday.

RELATED: Lawmaker pushes to get teachers vaccinated

Many say Simmer’s experience will help South Carolina get on track with its COVID response plan, including Governor Henry McMaster. 

In a statement Thursday the Governor wrote that Simmer, “clearly has all of the professional qualifications and leadership skills necessary to lead the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.”

Simmer said he plans to look at the communication between DHEC and hospitals as well as the public to promote transparency. 

He also wants a better appointment scheduling system in place for vaccines. 

After the confirmation by the Senate, Simmer can start in his new role as director effective immediately.

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